The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1887-08-06
TO EQUALIZE TAXATION.
a iill Prepared by Farmer. TO Present to
the Next Leg stature.

the Next Leg stature.
TIE committee appointed by the Mary
land State Farmers Mussrs
Edward Stake, of Washington county,
chair nan; Samuel Brooke, Of Anne Arun-
del county; Thomas f. Shepherd, of Car
roll county; W. w. Waring, of Prince
Georges county; J. l.. Adkins, of Talbot
county; DIR. Il. c. Mackall, of Cecil county
and Henry c. Hallowell, of Montgomery
cOunty-met last week at Barnum s
Hotel. They had been directed to pre-
pare a tax bill to equalize taxation in the
interest of agriculture. Mr.. Stake pre-
pared a bill, and the committee agreed
upon report TO be submitted to the as
ISOLATION, which it will be asked to re-
commend the legislature to adopt. The
bill includes these provisions:
Section provides that all taxes shall
be levied upon the present valuation of
property, and all necessary changes in
valuation, instead of requiring the ex-
panscs of a general assessment, shall be
made by the annual returns as provided
for in section ).
Section enumerates all the exenp-
tionS allowed. viz, schools for free edu-
cation, places of worship, cemeteries not
owned with view to profit, public bu i'd
ingS belonging to the national govern
meut, the state and counties, all real eS-
tate to the extent of mortgages and her
liens upon it, and provides for making
the owners of mortgage and Judgment
liens pay taxes on the amount invested
therein.
Section t sets forth in detail the prop
erty that is included under the terms
Real, " Personal Refreshments" and
"credits'
Section makes provision for every
person procuring blank from the tax
collector, and making annual returns OF
all property and investments held by
him or her in their own right, or in any
tiduCiary character.
Sections 8 and provide for the reyi-
sion of the returns by the county COM
misSioners. with power to examine all
persons as to the correctness of their re-
turns, to assess all persons who do not
make returns, and to impose penalties
upon all persons failing to make such re E
turns.
Section fixes the principle of valua
ton for improvements on farming lands,
to be charged only at their true agricul-
tural value, and and also fixes the princi-
pie of valuation for improvements on city
and town lands.
Section 8 provides for the collection of
taxes on the stock in trade of persons
vino commence business after the levy
Section 10 provides for collecting taxes
from all transient and travelling people
engaging III business in this state
Section makes provision for taxing
the gross receipts of foreign corporations
doing business in this state.
Section II provides for the return to
be made by manufacturers of the new
material for the purpose of taxation.
Section Is gives the form of the blank
to be used in making annual returns for
the correction of the levy list
Section gives the form of the blank
to be SD by corporations and Joint
stock companies in making returns for
the purposes of taxation.
Sections II, Is and II provide in detail
for the valuation of the property and col.
lection of the taxes from corporations and
Joint stock companies.
Section Is provides for assessing and
collecting taxes on the property of rail
road companies.
Section IS makes null and void all con-
tracts and covenants on the part of debt
OrS to pay the taxes on mortgages and
judgments held against them.
The committee also had under cousid-
Grafton the principle of taxing the gross
earnings of corporations which has been
adopted i'll some of the states, and which
they claim has worked very satisfactorily
as well as the graduated income tax
passed by the New York Legislature.
This law imposes a tax of one per cent.
on incomes over s., 200, two per cent. on
incomes of SO, 900, seven per cent. on in
comes from $4,000 to $50, 900, twenty per
cent. on incomes from $50, 900 to $780, 900,
and fifty per cent. on incomes over $780,
600
The President of the association will
soon call another meeting to act upon
the report.